Mandroid Echostar - The Sleeper

     In addition to being aware of my love for physical media, regular readers will likely also have picked up on my penchant for preordering. Whether it's in the form of an Indiegogo campaign or just a straight preorder, I enjoy knowing ahead of time that the album I'm looking forward to has already been paid for and will arrive at my door without any further action required on my part.

     The only downside is that stuff can sometimes take a while to arrive in the post, and although lots of bands are now mitigating this problem by issuing digital download codes on release day for fans who've purchased physical version of albums, I'm still a little old school in my desire to wait for my copy to arrive before I really sit down with a release. Sure, I'll stream or download on release day to keep up with the Joneses of music journalism, but it's only when I get my grubby mitts on a disc that I really delve into the material.

     For this reason, I was pleasantly surprised to find my copy of Mandroid Echostar's new EP in my mailbox earlier this week. For the unfamiliar, Mandroid is a techy Canadian band from Guelph that I've seen best described as sounding a little like Protest the Hero meets Coheed and Cambria. Their self-titled debut EP was pretty solid, and their new disc Citadels is more of the same: some really cool melodies spread across the soaring vocals and intricate guitar work and backed up by some tight and tasteful drumming.

     I almost want to go with "Ancient Arrows" as your song today, simply because the intro-y riff strikes me as the best Avenged Sevenfold lick Avenged never wrote, but I think I'm going to settle on "The Sleeper. For a guitar guy like me, this one's loaded: there's some fat riffage, some very video game-inspired tapping that opens and closes the song, and even a sweet little bluesy-sounding solo too.

     One problem/blessing in disguise? All I can find on Youtube is a stream of the whole EP, so you'll just have to ingest the whole thing, paying special attention to track five. Or just skip ahead to "The Sleeper". Either way, check these guys out pronto, and while you're at it check out the e-mail interview I did with Mandroid's singer Michael Ciccia back in the spring.

Misery Signals - Carrier

     I think I've mentioned this before, but just in case I haven't let me make it perfectly clear right now: I'm a sucker for physical media. If a band I'm into has a pre-order (or, as the case today may be, a crowdfunding campaign) you know I'm going to be all over the deluxe double CD version. I'm not quite so far gone as to be one of those vinyl-or-nothing people (although I do have a turntable and a small record collection) but I definitely will pick a CD over a digital download every time, to the point that when a band offers only a digital-download version of their release it makes me a sad, sad panda.

     My fixation on physical media is such that, when I do pre-order an album (or contribute to a crowdfunding campaign) I typically don't listen to it a whole lot until my copy arrives. Sure, I'll stream it on release day so I'm on the same page as everybody else for when it comes time to write this blog, but beyond that initial acquaintance-making I usually wait until I get my copy to really dig in.

     Thus it was with great delight that I opened my Indiegogo perk package from Misery Signals earlier this week. Yeah, I know the album came out over the summer, but I sprang for the "making-of DVD" package, and I believe the band chose to include some tour footage on said DVD, hence the delay.

     In any case, I've finally gotten the chance to really listen to Absent Light (which typically consists of a lot of plays through a record whilst driving back and forth to work) and it's growing on me with every spin. I still think Controller is my favourite, but tracks like "Carrier" from Absent Light are doing their best to change my mind. That's why (after a long-winded lead-up) "Carrier" is your song tonight. Enjoy.

Protest the Hero - A Life Embossed

     You should all know by now that I digs me some Protest the Hero. If you also enjoy some of these Canadian metal darlings, you probably already know that Volition has been leaked and subsequently released for streaming by the boys.

     You might even have gotten the chance to (legitimately) download a copy for yourself, if you happened to be one of those fans who contributed to Protest's Indiegogo campaign. But even if you haven't heard the whole album yet through means above board or otherwise, you just might have heard this evening's song, the latest track for which the boys have released a lyric video.

     No matter where you fall in the debate on Canadian pitbull legislation, there's a good chance you'll like "A Life Embossed". It's classic Protest, and while I wouldn't say it's my favourite song on Volition, it is further proof that Protest the Hero have still got it. Fans of the band should be well pleased with this record.

Song of the Day: Protest the Hero - Clarity

     Unless you've spent your day under a rock or otherwise completely cut off from the world somehow (lucky you), you've likely already jammed the brand spankin' new Protest the Hero song. But just in case you missed it, Beardy's got you.

Song of the Day: Mandroid Echostar - To The Wolves

     This one's another one I've been waiting to be able to post for a long time. I was among those who supported Mandroid Echostar's indiegogo campaign, and I'm finally getting to hear the fruits of theit labour.

Song of the Day: Misery Signals - Luminary

     I've been waiting a long time to be able to feature a new Misery Signals song as the Song of the Day, and both day and song are finally here.

Song of the Day: Mandroid Echostar - Hexaton

     It's been a long Saturday, so I've just got a quick finale to Canadiana Week today. I've written about today's band before, so much so in fact that I'm almost out of songs to feature...for now... What do I mean?

Song of the Day: Protest the Hero - Sequoia Throne

     It's been a while since I've done a week of themed Song of the Day, so I think it's about time I took another crack at it. Sound good to you? Too bad.

     What's the theme this time out? It's one that I've been thinking about doing for a while now, namely Canadiana Week, a week of songs from my fellow Canadians. And what better way to kick it off than to go with a classic cut by my boys in Protest the Hero. Your Canadian song this evening is therefore "Sequoia Throne" from their 2008 sophomore album Fortress. Crank this one up as you dream lustily about what might be in store for the indiegogo-funded monster the lads are brewing up next.

Song of the Day: Misery Signals - Reset

     Yesterday I posted about Canadian up-and-comers Mandroid Echostar and their indiegogo campaign to fund their next release. Well in the wake of Mandroid, who themselves are one of many bands who've recently gone this route, perhaps most successful of which has of course been Protest the Hero, I've just read that another band I dig is asking their fans for a hand. And this time it's one of my very favourites.

Song of the Day: Mandroid Echostar - The Precursor

     Another band I'm currently diggin' on is going the crowdfunding route for their next release, but unlike fellow Canadians Protest the Hero today's band doesn't have the fanbase to raise two hundred thousand dollars in a few days. So it's time again to show Mandroid Echostar some love and maybe help them reach their rather modest goal of $7000.

Song of the Day: Protest the Hero - Nautical

     I don't know if any of you out there are fans of Protest the Hero (you should be), but if you are you probably know by now that a) the band is working on a new album and b) they're crowdfunding the recording of said album via Indiegogo. I've contributed (and as such have some tasty, tasty swag headed my way at some point) but I'm still totally flabbergasted by how fast things have moved: the fund has been open less than 24 hours and it's already pretty much reached its goal. It's fantastic, and hopefully it'll mean a kickass album, whenever it comes out.